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No. 626,925. Patented lune l3, I899. J. L. OTERO.

INKSTAND.

(Application filed on. 21, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Shoats-8heet I.

w: "cams PETERS ca. wo'raumov, WASHINGTON, a, c.

. Patented lune l3, I899. J. L. OTERD.

INKSTAND.

(Application filed Oct. 21, 189B.)

2 Shoots-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

m VENITOH WITNESSES THE scams PETERS coy. Pam-mums WASHINGTON, 04 c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JUAN L. OTERO, or LIMA, PERU.

INKSTAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 626,925, dated June13, 1899.

Application filed October 21, 1893- Serial No. 694,173. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, JUAN L. OTERO, a citizen of the Republic of Peru,residing at Lima, in the Republic of Peru, have invented certainnew anduseful Improvements in Inkstands, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improved inkstand of that class in whichthe cover for the ink-well is held in closed position when the penholderis inserted between the arms of a spring-actuated lever mechanismarranged at the front part of the inkstand and in which the cover isautomatically opened on the. removal of said penholder from and betweenthe arms of said lever mechanism.

The invention consists of an inkstand in which the cover for theink-well is carried by a swinging and spring-actuated arm, which isoperated so as to move the cover over the ink-well or away from the sameby a springactuated lever mechanism, which is connected with said armand parts of which extend beyond the front part of the inkstand and areactuated either by the insertion of the penholder between the arms ofsaid lever mechanism or the removal of the same.

The invention consists, further, of suitable wire guards extending inforward direction over the projecting parts of the actuating le-.

ver mechanism. I

The invention consists, further, of suitable pen-wiping devices arrangedat one or both sides of the ink-well.

The invention consists also of a pen-rack arranged at the rear part ofthe inkstand, and, lastly, of certain details of construction andcombination of parts, which will be fully described hereinafter andfinally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 represent perspectiveviews of my improved inkstand, showing the ink-well respectively inclosed position and in open position for use. Fig. 3 is a verticallongitudinal section on line 3 3, Fig. 5, showing the cover in closedposition on the ink-well when the inkwell is not in use. Fig. 4 is'alsoa vertical longitudinal section showing the cover in raised position andthe ink-well open ready for use, and Fig. 5 is a plan View of Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the casing of my improvedinkstand, which can be made of sheet metal, glass, or other suitablematerial. The casing A is provided in its top with an opening a, inwhich the inkwell 13 is seated, said ink-well being provided with a rimb in its upper part, which forms a shoulder or seat for the cover 0. Thecover 0 is provided with a central lug d, which is pivotally connectedto a curved arm 0, provided with a disk-shaped enlargement C at itsrearend, that forms a housing for a spiral spring S, (shown in dottedlines, Fig. 4,) of which the inner end is attached to the transverse rod0 that is attached to the top part of the casing A, while its outer endis attached to the enlargement 0 so that the tension of the springholdsthe cover normally in raised position against a transverse stop-rod e,as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The coveris further connected by asteadying-link d with the arm O, which allows sufficient play of thecover so that it may fit tightly onto the seat of the inkwell and closethe same. The arm 0 is connected by a gut, cord, chain, or flexibleconnection c with the rear end of U-shaped lever D, which is fulcrumedat d to the interior of the casing A, near the bottom of the same, andisactuated by a lever mechanism in such a manner that when a penholder,pencil,or other device is inserted between the projecting parts of saidlever mechanism the U -shaped lever D is lowered, and thereby the arm 0,with the cover 0 suspended therefrom, lowered,so that the latter closesthe inkwell, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

As long as the penholder, pencil, or other device remains in positionbetween the front parts of the lever mechanism the ink-well is closed,so that the inkstand cannot be used. As soon as the penholder is removedthe parts of the lever mechanism are removed by the action of a suitablespring f to the second position, (shown in Figs. 2 and 4,) which liftsthe lever-frame D and permits the curved arm, withit-s cover, to bemoved, under action of its spiral spring S, into raised position, sothat the ink-well is opened and the inkstand ready for use. The levermechanism em ployed for closing the cover of the ink-well or moving itback into raised position consists of three sets of cooperating leversin addition to the U-shaped lever-frame D and of stationary curved andforwardly-extending arms-E. On these arms E rest the curvedforwardly-extending arms E of the first set of levers, which are eachprovided with a straight shank 6 that is pivoted to the transverse rod ein the rear part of the casing, the lever E being provided with adownwardlyextending arm c which is arranged at right angles to the shanke of said lever and which supports the front end of the arm E over thestationary arm E. The second set of levers F is at each side of theinkstand composed of three angularparts fff of which the first leverf ispivoted to the rear part of the stationary arm E and the rear part f tothe side wall of the casing A, while the intermediate part f is pivotedat its front end to the front end of the angular partfand its rear endto the angular part f as shown clearly in Fig. 4.. The front part of theintermediate leverf is curved convexly and extends from the stationaryarm E in upward direction alongside of the movable arm E at the rear ofthe point of contact of said stationary arm E and movable arm E. Thethird lever G, one ateach side of the inkstand,

. is also pivoted to the stationary arm E and made fork-shaped, theforks extending, respectively, above and below the point of contact ofthe stationary arm E and movable arm E when the coveris in open positionand the entire lever mechanism in this position corresponding thereto,as shown in Fig. 4. The upper part of the forked-shaped lever G isconnected by a link g with the upper extension D of the fnlcrumedlever-frame D, so as to operate the lever when the leverframe D is movedin backward or forward direction. A fiat spring f that is attached tothe bottom of the casing A, engages with its rear end in a recess f inthe rear lever f of the set of levers F, so as to impart thereby atension to the levers E, F, and G and cause them to move into forwardposition. At the angle of the rear lever f is arranged a pin j, whichprojects over the edge of the shank of the movable leverE, so as totransmit the tension of the spring f also to the lever E and bring thesame thereby within the influence of said spring.

Assuming that the parts are in their second or forward position, asshown in Fig. 4, and that the ink-well is open and it is desired toclose the same, the penholder or other similar article is introducedbetween the oppositely-curved front ends of the stationary lever-arm Eand movable lever-arm E, so as to lift the latter sufficiently to permitthe sliding in of the penholder. During the going-in motion of thepenholder it strikes the conveXly-curved portion of the intermediatelever f of the compound lever F, lifting the latter sufficiently,according to the thickness of the penholder or other article, andpermitting the penholder to pass on into the fork of the lever G, so asto produce the backward swinging of the same, and by its link connectionwith the fulcrumed lever-frameD the lowering of the rear part of saidframe, the downward motion of the cover, and the closing of theink-well. As soon as the penholder has been moved beyond the pivot ofthe lever G the parts are retained in locked position, as shown in Fig.3, so that the spring f cannot change the position of the levermechanism of the three levers, which are held by the penholder in theirlocked position while the cover is held in closed position. As soon asthe penholder or other article is moved in forward direction, so as tobe withdrawn from the lever mechanism, the forked lever G is moved intoits forward position, as shown in Fig. 4, while the middle part f of thesecond lever F follows the lever G under the tension of its spring f soas to assume its forward position, and the movablelever-a'rm E isreturned by gravity, as well as by the action of the pin f on its shanke, to its normal position, the arm E having been lifted sufficiently topermit the taking out of the penholder.

The cooperation of the three levers E, F, and G with the stationary armE and the lever-frame D produces the motion of the curved arm 0, onwhich cover is supported under the influence of the penholder or otherarticle that is inserted into or removed from said levers, so that theink-well is either closed when the inkstand is not required for use oropened when it is desired to be used.

It is preferable to arrange the stationary arm E and the set of threelevers E, F, and G at each side of the casing A, said levers projectingpartly through slots of said casing, so as to be outside of the same,while the remaining parts are located within the casing. It is obvious,however, that one arm and one set of levers could also be used, as theopening and closing of the ink-well by the raising or lowering of thecover could also be produced thereby; but for convenience sake, as wellas for providing for the different diameters of the penholders orotherarticles, it is better to use two sets of levers, so that thepenholder is held at two points. As the levers adjust themselves to anydiameter and adapt themselves to the thicker and thinner portions of thepenholder, it is obvious that the cover can be moved with great facilityonto the ink-well or into raised position, it following in its motionthe inward or outward motion of the penholder whether the same isinserted and retained by the lever mechanism or removed from the same.

To prevent the penholder or other article from being placed on top ofthe front part of the movable lever E, inclined wire guards H arepreferably attached to the side walls of the casing A, a second wirestay H holding the inclined guards in position and being then connectedby a transverse portion or handle H as shown in Figs. 1 and2. Thispermits the moving about of the inkst-and when it is to be used.

On top of the casing A of the inkstand-are arranged at each side of theink-well penwipers; which consist each of two brushes W' N, each beingapplied to a lever-frame Y Y, respectively. Lever-frames Y Y are eachpivoted to boxes I I and are held apart by a suitable spring S. Thelever-frame of the upper brush is provided with pins that projectthrough slots in the lever-frame of the lower brush, so that when thepen is placed on the lower brush and pressed in downward direction theupper brush is lowered onto the pen, so that-when withdrawn in loweredposition both sides of the same are wiped. The brushes may be made ofbristles or of any suitable absorbent material, provided that properwiping action is produced by the same. In the boxes to which thelever-frames are applied are i11- serted receptacles for permitting theremoval or insertion of pens into the boxes to which the wiping-brushesare applied. At the rear part of the inkstand are arranged racks R forpenholders, pencils, &c., which are preferably arranged below thetransverse stop-rod e from the swinging arm of the cover. The inkstandcan, however, be used without wipers and rack and even without the wireguards and handle when it is desired to supply a cheaper class ofinkstands, while the more expensive finishing accessories referred tomay be applied to the case, if desired. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the casing, an inkwell supported thereby, apivoted and springactuated arm carrying a cover for the ink-well, aspring-actuated lever mechanism connected with said arm and providedwith a projecting arm forming a jaw, and astationary arm forming anotherjaw cooperating with and extending. in the same direction as the saidjaw of the lever mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. The combination of the casing, an inkwell supported thereby, a cover.for the inkwell, a stationary arm forming a jaw projecting from thefront of the casing, a spring-actuated movable jaw projecting also infront of the casing and cooperating with said stationary jaw,and'suitable mechanism between the movable jaw and cover of the ink-wellfor raising the cover to or from the ink-well when a penholder or othersuitable article is removed or placed between the adjacent ends of themovable and stationary jaws, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the casing, an inkwell supported by the same, acover for said ink-well, a pivoted and spring-actuated arm on saidcover, stationary front arms applied to the casing, a fulcrumedlever-frame connected With the pivoted arm, and a springactuatedcompound-lever mechanism connected with said lever-frame and having armsarranged alongside of the said stationary arms, said arms cooperating byclosing one upon the other and adapted to produce, on the introductionof the penholder or other suitable article between the arms of the levermechanism, the lowering of the cover so as to close the ink-well, or onthe removal of the pen or other article, the return of said levermechanism to its forward position and the raising of the coverforopening of the ink-well, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the casing, an inkwell supported by the same, acover for said ink-well, a pivoted and spring-actuated armfrom which thecover is suspended, a fulcru med lever frame connected with said arm, aforwardly-extendingstationary arm, a pivoted lever having aforwardly-extending end located above said stationary arm, a secondlever of three angular parts connected with each other, a thirdfork-shaped lever, a link connecting said fork-shaped lever with thelever-frame, and a spring acting on the second lever, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with an inkstand, and

a compound-lever mechanism adapted for opening and closing the cover ofthe ink-well by the removal and insertion of the penholder or otherarticle, of guards projecting above said levers, stays for said guards,and a transverse handle connecting said guards, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with an inkstand, of a pair of pivoted andspring-actuated Wipers, lever-frames for said wipers, a support to whichthe frames are pivoted, the lever-frame of the upper wiper being coveredwhen pressure is exerted by the pen on the lower wiper, so that bothwipers close on the pen and clean the same, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing a my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JUAN L. OTERO.

Witnesses:

CESAR TERAN, JOHN M. BERUTIoK.

